Avi_Issacharoff,_February_2018_(4847)_(cropped)

Avi Issacharoff ( he, אבי יששכרוף; born 1973) is an Israeli journalist, known for his focus on Palestinian affairs. He is a Middle East commentator for

The Times of Israel ''The Times of Israel'' is an Israeli multi-language online newspaper that was launched in 2012. It was co-founded by Israeli journalist David Horovitz, who is also the founding editor, and American billionaire investor Seth Klarman.

and its sister news outlet

Walla! Walla! Communications Ltd. ( he, וואלה! תקשורת בע"מ) is an Israeli internet company headquartered in Tel Aviv and is fully owned by The Jerusalem Post. Until 2020, it was fully owned by Bezeq. Walla!'s web portal provides news, se ...

, and the Palestinian and Arab Affairs Correspondent for '' Haaretz''.

Early life

Issacharoff was born in

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

, to a household of Bukharan-Jewish descent, to a seventh-generation Israeli family. His ancestors were among the first inhabitants of Jerusalem's Bukharim Quarter. He grew up in the

Givat Shaul Givat Shaul ( he, גבעת שאול, lit. (''Saul's Hill''); ar, غفعات شاؤول) is a neighborhood in West Jerusalem. The neighborhood is located at the western entrance to the city, east of the neighborhood of Har Nof and north of Kirya ...

neighborhood of Jerusalem and attended a Kurdish-Jewish synagogue, where he also picked up Arabic. He went on to become fluent in the language. During his military service in the Israel Defense Forces, he served in the

Duvdevan Unit Unit 217, frequently called Duvdevan ( he, דובדבן, lit=cherry), is a ''mistaʽaravim'' unit in the Commando Brigade of the Israel Defense Forces. It is notable for its undercover operations in urban areas, during which its operators o ...

, having been placed there due to his knowledge of Arabic. He is a graduate of

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) ( he, אוניברסיטת בן-גוריון בנגב, ''Universitat Ben-Guriyon baNegev'') is a public research university in Beersheba, Israel. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has five campuses: the ...

and holds an M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies and Literature from

Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv University (TAU) ( he, אוּנִיבֶרְסִיטַת תֵּל אָבִיב, ''Universitat Tel Aviv'') is a public research university in Tel Aviv, Israel. With over 30,000 students, it is the largest university in the country. Locate ...

. He has a daughter, and is in a relationship with his partner Merav.

Media career

Issacharoff was Middle Eastern Affairs Correspondent for Israel Radio. In 2004, Issacharoff co-wrote with

Amos Harel Amos Harel is an Israeli journalist. Personal He graduated from Tel Aviv University and lives in Hod Hasharon. Journalism career As of 2014 he is the military and defense analyst for the Israeli newspaper ''Haaretz''. From 1999 to 2005 Harel ...

, ''The Seventh War: How we won and why we lost the war with the Palestinians,'' a book about the Second Intifada, winner of the 2005 Chechic award from the

Institute for National Security Studies (Israel) The Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) is an independent Israeli research institute and think tank affiliated with Tel Aviv University dealing in areas of national security matters such as military and strategic affairs, terrorism and ...

. In 2008, they wrote a second book, ''34 Days: Israel, Hezbollah and the War in Lebanon'', about the 2006 Lebanon War, winner of the 2009 Chechic Award. From 2005 until 2012, he was the Palestinian and Arab affairs correspondent for the Israeli newspaper '' Haaretz''. He is a former correspondent with Israel Radio where he won the 2002 "Best Reporter" award for his coverage of the Second Intifada. He has written and directed short documentary films broadcast on television in Israel. In 2014, Issacharoff and a cameraman were attacked and beaten by "masked

Palestinian Palestinians ( ar, الفلسطينيون, ; he, פָלַסְטִינִים, ) or Palestinian people ( ar, الشعب الفلسطيني, label=none, ), also referred to as Palestinian Arabs ( ar, الفلسطينيين العرب, label=non ...

rioters" while covering a violent protest demonstration in

Beitunia Beitunia ( ar, بيتونيا), also Bitunya, is a Palestinian city located west of Ramallah and north of Jerusalem. The city is in the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate in the central West Bank. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of ...

. According to Issacharoff's account, the two were set upon after a Palestinian demonstrator who accused them of being Israeli intelligence agents. He is the co-author of the Israeli television series '' Fauda'', winner in 2016 of 6

Ophir Award The Ophir Awards ( he, פרס אופיר), colloquially known as the Israeli Oscars or the Israeli Academy Awards, are film awards for excellence in the Israeli film industry awarded by the Israeli Academy of Film and Television. The award, named ...

s and in 2018 of another 11 Ophir Awards, granted by the Israeli Academy of Film and Television.

Published works

* ''The Seventh War: How we won and why we lost the war with the Palestinians''. with

. 2004 (Winner of the 2005 Chechic award for outstanding security research.) It was translated into French and Arabic. * ''34 Days: Israel, Hezbollah and the War in Lebanon''. With

. Hebrew edition 2006. English Edition 2008 by Palgrave-Macmillan Books. (Winner of the 2009 Chechic award for outstanding security research.)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Issacharoff, Avi Israeli journalists Israeli columnists Israeli Sephardi Jews Israeli people of Uzbekistani-Jewish descent Israeli Mizrahi Jews People from Jerusalem Living people Ben-Gurion University of the Negev alumni Tel Aviv University alumni 1973 births